


Miracles Happen When You Least Expect Them

by thatwriterlady



Series: 25 Days of the Holiday Season [16]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Friendship, Lonely Castiel (Supernatural), M/M, Maybe something more, Spunky Dean Winchester, Young Adults, living on their own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28235148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: Dean can hear his neighbor crying through the wall of his apartment and he sets out to introduce himself and get to know the man. What he finds breaks his heart, and he is determined to be his friend. Sometimes, miracles happen when you least expect them.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: 25 Days of the Holiday Season [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037259
Comments: 14
Kudos: 101





	Miracles Happen When You Least Expect Them

**Dec 16th:**

**_Miracles Happen When You Least Expect Them~_ **

Dean could hear the man in the apartment next to his crying. The closer it got to Christmas, the more often he cried. He wasn’t blind or deaf, he could see and hear that the man had no visitors, his phone never rang, and he’d never seen him bring anyone back to his place. He had concluded the man was lonely, and that was a terrible thing to be at this time of year. 

He’d only glimpsed the man once or twice and frankly, he’d liked what he’d seen. The man was somewhere around his age, maybe a little older, and absolutely gorgeous, despite how sad he always looked. Hearing him crying though, it was driving him nuts. It wasn’t because he was upset at him though. He was upset  _ for _ him. Always the nurturer, he decided it was time to formally meet his new neighbor, and maybe find out why he was crying. He’d just made a half dozen pies to bring to the Christmas dinner at his parents’ house tomorrow but he figured maybe that was overkill, so he grabbed one of the cherry and went next door.

He knocked and waited. His neighbor was definitely home, that much he knew, and a minute later the door was cracking open. Red rimmed, blue, eyes were peeking out at him.

“Yes?”

“Hi, I’m your next door neighbor, my name is Dean,” He offered his friendliest smile. The door opened more and he got a good look at the man. Damn he was gorgeous!

“Oh, hello, Dean.” He gave him a puzzled look, like he couldn’t figure out why Dean was on his doorstep.

“I thought I’d come and introduce myself. I know you’ve been here a few months but work has me coming home at all hours and I wasn’t sure when you were home so I could come and introduce myself,” He held up the pie and smiled wider at the man’s surprise. “I made pies so I thought I’d bring one over.”

“You’re giving me pie?” The surprise reflected in his voice.

“Sure am. Do you like cherry? If not, I have apple and pumpkin too.”

“No, I-I like cherry,” Cas looked over his shoulder for a moment before his gaze fell on Dean again. “Would you...like to come in?”

“Sure.” Dean was trying to be cheery, mostly for Cas’ benefit.

“Have you lived here long?” Cas asked as he closed the door.

“Two years, since I moved out of my parents’ house,” He replied. His gaze fell on the empty living room, devoid of almost all furniture but he didn’t draw any attention to it.

“Can I ask how old you are?” Cas motioned for Dean to follow him to the kitchen.

“I’ll be twenty next month. You look somewhere around my age. We might just be the youngest people in this building.”

“I’m twenty-two,” Cas paused in the kitchen and looked at him in dismay. “I-I don’t have a knife, just a couple of forks and a spoon.”

“That’s ok, you only need a fork, the pie is for you.” Dean set it on the counter and stepped back. Cas looked at it and it was saddening to see how hungry he looked too. 

“Thank you, Dean, this looks delicious.” He continued to stare at it.

“Grab your fork, have some. Don’t mind me, I have five more.” Dean said. Cas looked at him for a moment before opening the cutlery drawer. He hadn’t been kidding, there really were just two forks and a spoon in there. He grabbed a fork and stuck it in the middle of the pie. The forkful he stuffed in his mouth was big and he groaned as the taste of tart cherries and sweet syrup flooded his senses.

“Oh, this is so good!”

“I’m glad you like it,” Dean looked around at the bare kitchen. Cas literally had nothing, there hadn’t even been a couch in the living room, just a couple of cheap chairs that looked like they’d been found in a dumpster. He didn’t comment on that though. This room was just as bare. There were no small appliances, no table, nothing. He wondered if the guy even had pots to cook with.

“Where do you work?” Cas asked, breaking into his thoughts and bringing him back to the present.

“I’m a mechanic. My dad owns an auto shop and I’m in school trying to get licensed. I can’t do the real work until I am, but I still do a lot of stuff. Mostly I handle all of the paperwork, and I schedule appointments. My dad prefers to work on the cars, not sit in his office doing payroll or inventory. He taught me that stuff as I was growing up so I’d do it for him,” Dean chuckled. “I like it though. One day the place will be mine.”

“That’s really cool,” Cas had already devoured half of the pie.

“What about you? What do you do?”

“I stock the shelves at Singer’s,” Cas replied rather shyly. It was clear he was embarrassed.

“That’s awesome. I bet you get a real workout doing that.” Dean had a knack for finding the positive in even the most mundane of things. Cas tilted his head and smiled.

“I do, actually. I’m one of the only ones in my department that can lift a hundred pounds of flour with ease. Everyone else struggles. This guy Alfie that I work with, he looks like if you blew at him he’d fly away. He’s stronger than he looks but he can’t lift a whole lot. I’m fast too, which my manager likes. I get more hours because I do my job well. I heard that Singer’s as a whole doesn’t really pay much attention to their employees, they just want them to do their job to keep the machine running, you know? But I get praised a lot. I even made employee of the month twice.”

“I know the guy that owns Singer’s,” Dean said. “He’s my dad’s Marine buddy. They served together. Bobby’s way older than my dad though. I think he was his sergeant or lieutenant or something. All I know is that they became best friends. I worked at Singer’s in high school. Whoever told you Bobby doesn’t care, they were lying. He cares about every employee in every single one of his stores. If you made employee of the month they definitely sent him that memo. He personally knows that you’re doing a great job.”

“Really? You know the owner?” Cas paused in eating to stare at him. There was syrup on his lower lip and Dean struggled not to stare at his mouth. His lips looked so kissable.

“Sure do. Look.” Dean pulled his phone out and moved over to where Cas was standing so he could see the pictures. He showed him ones from the last fishing trip of the summer he’d gone on with his dad and Bobby, and he showed some of Bobby in front of one of his new stores on the day of the grand opening.

“Wow,” Cas shook his head in amazement. “Small world, huh.”

“Sure is. Keep working hard, your manager will notice and you might get a promotion. I stocked for three years before quitting to work at my dad’s shop. How long have you worked there?”

“Almost eight months,” Cas replied. That lined up with about when Dean had noticed he had a new neighbor. Bobby paid his employees a living wage though, so he wondered why Cas didn’t have anything. 

“You didn’t buy any stuff?” He hoped he wasn’t overstepping.

“I’m only part time. I get more hours when other people call off. I...don’t have money to save.”

“Oh,” Dean frowned as he stared at his feet. “I have some furniture I can give you. My mom gave me a couch, even though I already have one. She just didn’t want to keep it since she and my dad got new living room furniture. These apartments don’t have a whole lot of room.”

“No, they don’t,” Cas agreed. “But you don’t have to give me anything, I’m fine.”

“I want to though,” Dean could also be incredibly stubborn, something that drove his father nuts. “Help me bring it over. You’ll have somewhere to sit besides those uncomfortable looking chairs. Those belong in a dining room, or at a kitchen table.”

“I don’t need handouts,” Cas snapped, startling him. “I’m doing fine.”

“Dude, I’m being nice. I know you don’t need handouts. I was kind of hoping we could be friends, and friends help one another out. If anything, you’re helping  _ me _ out. I can barely move in my living room and I was thinking of just calling Goodwill and having them come take it. I appreciate that she thought of me, but these apartments are like, seven hundred square feet, and it’s a full size couch. I already  _ have _ a full size couch that I bought at Goodwill last year. I was sitting on my living room floor to eat and I got tired of that.”

“But you have people that help you out. Why didn’t your parents help you get furniture?” Cas asked.

“Because I don’t want them to. If they gave me everything I’d never appreciate what I have. I’ve worked for everything I own, minus the couch. She wants to give me my dad’s old recliner too but I can’t take that until I get rid of the extra couch. I  _ really _ want that recliner, it’s super comfy,” Most of what he was saying was true. He’d made the couches fit and he was still getting the recliner, but Cas needed  _ something _ to sit on. “It’s different when someone is offering to help. I’m offering to help furnish your place. It’s impossible on a part time job, I should know, I was there.”

“But aren’t your parents wealthy? If your dad owns an auto shop and his best friend is rich,” Cas was making the wrong assumptions. Dean shook his head.

“No, my parents aren’t rich. My dad would never ask Bobby for anything and Bobby knows that. If he offers it, then my dad will consider it, but he doesn’t want to be given stuff out of pity, or because Bobby feels obliged to do it. Bobby gave me a kitchen table and chairs as a housewarming gift when I moved in, otherwise I wouldn’t have that. I thrift most of my stuff. My parents gave me pots and pans when I moved in, but whenever they get new stuff they pawn the old stuff off on me, so I have other stuff I can give you. At least then I know someone that needs it will get it, and they’ll appreciate it.”

“I don’t have any family,” Cas said slowly, as though he wasn’t sure if he should be telling him that. “A program I applied for helped me get a job, this apartment, and a bed. I’d still be out on the streets without them,” His cheeks were burning with embarrassment and he couldn’t look Dean in the eye. “I-I don’t have any friends.”

“You do now,” Dean bumped shoulders with him and smiled. “What are you doing for Christmas?”

“Nothing, Singer’s is closed so I can’t work,” Cas replied.

“Nah, you need to come home with me. My mom makes the best turkey. I helped out by making dessert this year.” 

“No, but thank you. I’ll be fine here.” Apparently Cas was just as stubborn as him. Dean marched over to the fridge before Cas could stop him and yanked it open. There was half a loaf of bread and some jelly, and some sad looking bananas.

“Cas, you are  _ not _ fine. Don’t you at least go to the food pantries?”

“I don’t know where they are, ok?” Cas snapped angrily as he reached past him to close the fridge. “And I don’t drive. Who do you think you are just coming in here and telling me what I should and shouldn’t do? I’m not a charity case!”

Dean took a step back, the anger rolling off the other man startling him. “Who said you were a charity case? I sure as hell didn’t. Someone must have though, and whoever they are? They’re an asshole. I don’t know who hurt you, but I’m not them, ok? It’s ok to ask for help when you need it, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of if you need that help. If you need a ride to a food pantry, let me know, I have a truck and I’ll drive you. Hell, we could hit several in one day if they’re all open and then you’ll have food for a couple of months. My parents told me I had to do this on my own, to learn how to take care of myself. Sure, I have a full time job and I’m really thankful for that, and I’m in school to get licensed, but they don’t pay my rent,  _ I _ do. They don’t pay my utilities or my phone bill,  _ I _ do. More often than not, I’m dead broke. Even after I’m licensed I’m not gonna be rich. I’ll make a few more dollars an hour, that’s it. I’m getting by because I know when to ask for help. I struggle, just like my parents did at my age, but I’m learning how best to take care of myself, and I like helping other people when I can. Plus I like making new friends, and it sounds like you could use one. Even if all you want to talk about is Star Wars, which I happen to love, I’m a good listener. 

“If you think I pity you, you’re wrong. I look at you and see someone strong who is surviving, even against all odds. I don’t know what circumstances put you out on the streets, or how long you were out there but the fact that you got out of that says a lot about how strong you are. You’re a badass, dude. I like that about you.”

Cas looked like the grumpiest person in the world, but he wasn’t angry anymore. “My parents threw me out, ok? I told them I was gay and they tossed me out like the trash. I was sixteen and even my only aunt wouldn’t take me in. I landed in foster care somehow but I ran away at seventeen when my foster dad tried to touch me. I decked him and bolted. I was out on the streets until a lady told me about the Hype House. It’s like a halfway house for LGBT youth. They took me in and helped me apply for the program to get in here. They got me the job and I’ve been trying to make a go of it, but I don’t know how to be an adult. I don’t know how to really pay my bills, or to budget. I don’t have a phone or a car or anything. I have to go pay my bills in cash because I don’t know what else to do. No one told me these things. I-I didn’t graduate high school, but someday I’d like to get my GED. I think I could get better work if I have that. This is scary.” There were tears in his eyes and it clicked for Dean why he kept hearing him crying. He was scared out of his mind. He pulled Cas into a hug, squeezing him tight. Cas’ whole body shook with the force of his sobs but he was clinging to Dean like he was his lifeline.

“You have a friend now, ok? And I’m bi, so I totally accept that you’re gay, and so will my family. I actually wanted to introduce myself when I first saw you because I thought you were gorgeous, but I’m kinda shy around gorgeous people. My best friend is a lesbian, so you’re among your people now. So please, I’m asking you, come home with me? There will be lots of good food, music, and it’ll be fun. My birth family is pretty small, but family doesn’t end in blood. There will be more people there, if my friend Charlie doesn’t try to get you to play video games with her then my brother will pull out a board game. There’s always new people coming, and I think this year my friend Victor is coming. My mom’s friend Stella comes every year too. So you’ll totally be welcome.”

Cas got his crying under control finally and stepped back. He sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. Dean took a good look at him and saw how thin he really was. When was the last time he’d eaten a solid meal?

“No one has ever invited me to their holiday celebration. Your mom and dad won’t be mad?”

“Nah. My mom will hug you and try to stuff you full of turkey, that’s just how she is.” Dean planned to text her to let her know he was bringing someone, and maybe just a little about Cas’ situation. Maybe he’d leave out the homeless part and just tell her he’d been kicked out by his parents. She’d be discreet and not mention it, she was good like that.

“Are jeans ok? T-they’re all I have,” Cas twisted his hands anxiously and eyed the pie again. He’d eaten half of it but he still looked like he was starving.

“Hey, want to come over and play video games? The garage is closed today and tomorrow, and Charlie can’t hang out, she has work. I think I have half a pizza still in the fridge. How good are you at Call of Duty?”

“I’ve never played,” Cas admitted. “It looks like fun though. My parents didn’t allow video games in the house.”

“Then we’ll have a blast. It’s an xBox One, I got it with my first paycheck when I was sixteen. It’s not one of the newer systems, I don’t have the money for those. One day I want a PS4 though.”

“Isn’t there a PS5 now?” Cas asked.

“Yeah, but no way could I afford that. The 4 is just fine.”

“Then...sure, I’d like that. You’ll have to teach me though.” Cas smiled softly. 

“Will you take the stupid, green couch? I hit my shins on it every time I walk in the door. It has wood trim, it’s one of those really old ones, but it’s still really comfy.”

“O-ok,” Cas nodded. “I would like that. I only have a mattress, it’s the only place I can sit in here.”

“What do you do for fun?” Dean asked as he grabbed the pie and stuck it in the fridge. He made sure to put the fork in the sink.

“I read. I have a library card so I rent books every week.”

“I like reading,” Dean said as he motioned for Cas to follow him. “What’s your favorite book?”

“I like the Harry Potter books,” Cas said. “I like fantasy. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Ring books are good too.”

“Maze Runner, dude, you read that?” Dean opened the front door and waited for Cas to step into the hall first. Cas smiled and nodded.

“I read the whole series. I’m reading the Game of Thrones books now. I don’t have a television or cable so I couldn’t watch the show. Someone at work told me how the show ends, but someone else I work with said the books are different. They’re really long but they’re pretty good.”

“I don’t have cable so I haven’t seen the show. All I know is what I saw online. Gifs and videos on Twitter and stuff. The dragons look really cool. I hear there’s a lot of sex.” Dean opened the door to his own apartment.

“There is, and  _ a lot _ of murder,” Cas chuckled. He stopped to look around Dean’s apartment. It looked lived in, filled with furniture, and there were posters all over the walls. “Wow, you  _ really _ like Star Wars.”

“I told you I did.” Dean laughed.

“I’ve never seen it.” Cas admitted. Dean gaped at him.

“No way, really? We are totally going to fix that. If you like science fiction and fantasy you’ll love it. Maybe we’ll watch that, unless you still want to play Call of Duty.”

“Whatever,” Cas smiled and shrugged. He was warming up and that made Dean happy. He patted the dark green couch next to him.

“This is the couch. I’ll warn you, it’s heavy.”

It took less than ten minutes to move it out of Dean’s apartment and over to Cas’. While he stood and smiled at his new couch Dean backtracked to grab one of the arm chairs he’d bought at Goodwill. He brought that over too.

“What’s that? I thought you were just giving me the couch,” Cas asked.

“I don’t need it, I’m getting the recliner, remember? I hope you know, you’re helping me get that thing up here.” Dean grinned when Cas rolled his eyes and laughed.

“Ok, I can do that.”

“Come on, we’ll go watch the movie now. I’ll pop the pizza in the microwave.” Dean headed for the door and Cas followed.

“What kind of pizza is it?” Cas asked.

“Meat lovers. You ok with that?”

“Sure,” Cas nodded. “I can’t remember the last time I had pizza. It’s been at least a year, but probably longer.”

“It’s one of my favorite foods. That, burgers, and pie.”

“Pie is good.” Cas laughed as he sat down on the couch. Dean got the movie set up and left to heat up the pizza. He returned to the living room with the food and two cans of Pepsi. He passed a plate and a can to Cas who was looking at the bi flag on the wall by the door.

“I thought you were just saying that before. I didn’t think you were really bi.”

“Why would I lie about that? I wasn’t lying when I said you were gorgeous either.” Dean smiled at how he made the other man blush.

“Stop, I’m  _ not _ gorgeous. It was nice of you to say that though.”

“I disagree. I wish I’d worked up the nerve to introduce myself sooner. I used to flirt in high school but the girls ignored me and the guys...well, I got into fights more often than not. Straight guys and guys so deep in the closet they’re like feral animals, they’re not fun to hit on.” Dean said around a mouthful of pizza.

“Oh, I know,” Cas snorted and shook his head. “Made that mistake once. Once was enough. He told his parents who told  _ my _ parents, and they confronted me. It’s how I got where I am now.”

“Damn, I’m sorry,” Dean felt even worse for him. “That guy was an asshole. You took a chance and he burned you in the worst way possible. I hope all his toenails become ingrown and he grows hair on his dick, the jerk.”

Cas let out a startled laugh. “Ingrown toenails? A hairy dick? That’s some heavy cursing, don’t you think?”

“Should I add that I hope his nipples fall off?” Dean asked cheekily. Cas laughed even harder.

“You’re hilarious, Dean. Thank you, I haven’t felt this relaxed with anyone in years.”   
  


“Yeah, well, I’m fun  _ and _ adorable.” Dean said as he grabbed the remote and pressed play. Cas was still smiling at him.

“Can we maybe be friends for now? I’m in short supply. Maybe...if things get better for me, we could go on a date? I-I’ve never been on one. But not yet, I don’t have the money for that.”

“Sure. Hey, if you want to get your GED my mom’s friend Stella? Like I said, she’ll be there tomorrow. She’s a social worker and has access to all sorts of resources. I bet she’ll know how to get it. There has to be ways to get it for free. She’ll know how to do it. Look, how cool is this opening?” Dean pointed at the screen. “Long ago, in a galaxy far, far away…”

He’d offered his friendship to a man desperately in need of a friend, and unbeknownst to him, one of the reasons Cas had been crying was because this was his first Christmas in a real home since he’d been kicked out, and he would have been spending it alone and hungry. Dean had come into his life like a whirlwind, bringing friendship, warmth, and family that didn’t end in blood, but went far beyond it.  _ That _ was what he’d wished for this year. As he quickly learned that year: miracles happen when you least expected them.


End file.
